


Child-Like Banters Lead to Forever

by AayoukojiStasia



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, Implied Mpreg, M/M, Mentions of Death, Mentions of reincarnation, Mpreg, Soulmates, mentions of killings, mentions of mafia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 04:13:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28718652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AayoukojiStasia/pseuds/AayoukojiStasia
Summary: Baekhyun couldn’t care less if his family members where trembling beside him as they sat at the lavish dinner table. He couldn’t care less if the host family is one of the most feared vampire clans.He’s Baekhyun, the country’s most dreaded mafia heir for goodness’ sake! And he would most certainly not tremble in front of the Parks’ powerful vampire heir, the big oaf with ears pointier than his fangs, Park Chanyeol.“Fume all you want. At least I’m not an ostentatious prick such as yourself.”It’s either he walks out with a vampire’s head tonight or he ends up as this giant log’s meal.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 12
Kudos: 118
Collections: Swords and Hearts 2020





	Child-Like Banters Lead to Forever

**Author's Note:**

> **Code: **SFP11  
> ****  
>  **Prompt:** Baekhyun couldn’t care less if his family members where trembling beside him as they sat at the lavish dinner table. He couldn’t care less if the host family is one of the most feared vampire clans. 
> 
> He’s Baekhyun, the country’s most dreaded mafia heir for fucks’ sake! And he would most certainly not tremble in front of the Parks’ powerful vampire heir, the big oaf with ears pointier than his fangs, Park Chanyeol.
> 
> “Fume all you want. At least I’m not an ostentatious prick such as yourself.” 
> 
> It’s either he walks out with a vampire’s head tonight or he ends up as this giant log’s meal.  
>  **Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction and none of the characters are owned by Swords and Hearts. All creative rights and ownership of this particular work of fiction lie with the respective authors.**
> 
> **  
> ******  
> 
> 
> **  
> ******  
> 
> 
> **Author's Note:** Thank you to mods for taking care of me during the duration of the fest and for being so understanding of my circumstances.  
> I hope you all enjoy reading and thank you for taking your time.

The long lavish table was decorated with every fine gold and ornaments that was known to mankind - even the rarest of the rare was displayed. The food was also splendid on its own; every expensive and exquisite food everyone has dreamed of eating was set from one end of the table to the other. 

The feast was a sight to behold for both the eyes and the belly. Yet, the family of seven that occupied the table could not even pay attention to the food before them as they were all trembling in their seats. 

They were wearing expensive suits and dresses - not equal to the amount of what’s before them but neither cheap to humans. All heads hung low, no one spoke; they let their body language speak for what they are feeling. 

At the end of the long table sat two beings of gorgeous stature that no adjective would be able to describe their demeanors; no word on earth has been created to express how elegant these beings are. 

The one sitting at the head of the dining room was a woman. She was wearing a long-sleeves mermaid dress, with beads, ornaments, and flowers decorating the hems and sleeves. Her blonde hair was a great compliment to her wonderful outfit. She had her elbows on the table with her chin resting on the back of her clasped hands. She had not moved for the last twenty minutes except for her red lips ever so slowly stretching into a smile every now and then. 

To her right sat a man. Contrary to her bright outfit, he wore an all black attire. He was wearing a black suit coat with a matching black dress shirt underneath that had the first three buttons undone. He has nearly the same blonde hair as the woman, except his locks were more white blonde. While the woman looked quite enthralled by the family’s fear, the man was paying more attention to the piece of calzone sitting on his plate. He was gently playing with a fork with his ringed left finger; not even bothering to glance at the group before him. 

Eventually, the woman broke the stiff and silent air by clearing her throat. “Why don’t we start eating? We’ve been sitting for twenty minutes now, and the food might turn cold if we wait any longer.” Her voice sounded soft and elegant like the waves of the ocean. She gracefully extended her hand to gesture the family to take whatever they please to have. 

Unfortunately, no one from the group dared to look up or even stretch their hands to take food. But eventually, someone groaned and made a loud bang with his cutlery. “Fine. Just shake there in your seats! I don’t know about any of you, but I’m starving to death with what so little you’ve been forcing us to eat!” He scowled at his family. “They went out of their way to prepare this much food and I would not waste any of this. So help yourselves to air.” He took one last remark at his family before taking a scoop of the shepherds pie in front of him. 

“Baekhyun!” An old man three seats from him hissed. 

Baekhyun glanced at the old man and growled at him. “Did you not hear what I said, father? Drop dead starving if you want but I’m not joining you. Unlike you, with so little time left in this world, I have to take over your business so I cannot afford to die or be sickly.” He ignored the stern look the old woman beside his father gave him, and took a spoonful of his food. 

He hummed in satisfaction. 

“Is it any good?” The woman at the head of the table asked, an amused grin across her face as she observed the family. 

Baekhyun dropped his fork and nodded at her direction. “It’s wonderful, Madam Tiffany.” 

The woman - Tiffany as she was called - was glad to hear the compliment. She nodded in gratitude before turning to look at another person standing by the wall far away from the table. “Well done Kyungsoo. Always excellent in your meals, you have done a marvelous job again.” 

The man named Kyungsoo was a handsome man who always sported a blank look. He gave his Madam a small bow in acknowledgement of the compliment his work was given. 

Tiffany glanced at the remaining members of the family who still had their heads hung low. “I insist you all eat.” Even though her voice was soft, all six of them yelped in their seats with startle. “You all have denied food my dear servants have been giving you. While I do not mind if your diet only consists of bland bread, I’ve lived long enough with humans to know that no one chooses to eat that alone for more than a month.” 

“I-it’s alright m-madam.” The old man croaked, trying to sound confident. “It’s r-really what we u-usually eat.” 

“With that much wealth and money, you only eat nearly stale bread and warm water from the tap?” She questioned yet everyone knows she was not expecting a response. “Quite a terrible lie, no?” 

They started trembling again while the old woman gasped. “P-please Madam Young, w-we didn’t mean to lie to you!” She elbowed her husband whose face was engulfed in fear. “D-do something!” She hissed at him. 

“While I don’t understand why you all refused food,” Tiffany spoke again while the family bantered with one another, “I will not allow my guests to starve when we clearly have more than enough to support everyone. So if I must sit with all of you for you to start intaking food, then I will.” 

The family stopped arguing and exchanged worried looks with one another. 

“Unless this is still about us feeding on all of you?” 

“Yes, it is. Father’s a scaredy-cat.” Baekhyun immediately responded while he took a glass of shrimp cocktail. 

“Baekhyun!” The old woman yelled.

“Why stepmother?!” Baekhyun snapped back. “Isn’t funny that the most feared man of the country - the leader of the most powerful mafia group - fears death? An unwarranted fear, may I add when Madam Tiffany has made it crystal clear that they do not feed directly from humans. You have faithfully believed in Hansel & Gretel, father.” Baekhyun snorted. “A man of great blood in his trail believing a child’s fairy tale. What a joke.” 

“Don’t speak to our father like that.” The man sitting beside Baekhyun warned. 

“ _ My  _ father.” Baekhyun corrects, and the man scowls. “He’s not your dad so don’t try to be the good son when we all know that you will never snatch the business from me. You, your mother, and ugly good-for-nothing siblings should accept that soon because if the old man believes he’ll die as a mashed potato here then the sooner I’ll ascend to power.” 

“What an insolent bitch.” One of his stepsisters comments. 

“And what an ugly wench of a rat you are.” Baekhyun spats. His sister huffs in annoyance but bites her tongue lest she wants to be insulted again. 

Baekhyun takes a bite of his second dish and hums again in happiness. 

“I must say I am disappointed.” Tiffany spoke when the round of insults calmed down. “You did not adhere nor obey my words.” She shifts to lean back against her seat. She rests her arms on the armrests. 

She sternly looks at the family members who still refused to eat their food. “I have stressed multiple times that while you are indeed my prisoners, you are not food. You are to function with your human activities while you are at my grounds.” 

She directs her gaze at the parents. “Or would like me to suck the blood of one of your daughters as you have so clearly set your minds on.” She shifts her attention to the youngest daughter whose eyes she met. 

The young woman turned pale. 

“No! Please don’t!” The mother immediately begged. 

“Good. I wouldn’t want to drink her filthy blood too. She’s too conceited and ignorant for my taste, nothing good would she do for me.” Tiffany hummed. 

The daughter’s face fell in disbelief and annoyance because of the insult she received. While Baekhyun bursts in a laughing fit. 

“But that does not mean I cannot punish you for your disobedience.” The woman’s voice became low. “I have also mentioned countless times before, my words are the law in this place. You are in my grounds so you will obey my commands.” 

The family - except for Baekhyun who was moving again to eat peking duck - turned pale and stiffened in their seats. 

“While I have been merciful in letting you slide with your ungrateful behaviors, I neither appreciate your degrading words about my kind nor your cunning plans to escape from here.” 

“M-madam Young,” the son next to Baekhyun spoke and cleared his throat when Tiffany shifted her attention to him. “W-we don’t understand.” 

The woman let an unamused laugh escape from her. “I have lived for seven centuries and do you think I am dumb to your plans?” Her lips ceased to smile and turned to a frown. “Don’t play coy with me. I know all about your secret plans to escape from here with all that you can steal, possibly murder me and my son. I also know that your men have planned to kill the rest of my kind.” 

The family’s face paled even more. 

Baekhyun whistled. “I told you that was the most idiotic plan.” He glances at his stepbrother and gives a condescending smile. “Congratulations Ji-hoon, you fucked up again!” 

The family’s matriarch growled at the older boy’s remark. “Watch your mouth you little -”

“Just face it mother, I mean  _ mother-wannabe _ . Your son is a failure, and now father is mad at all of you for making him believe that his stupid plan would work when I obviously disagreed and voiced my concern since the beginning he proposed it.” 

Ji-hoon turned pale, while his sisters hissed. 

“You little bastard how dare you-”

“Enough!” The old man slammed his hands onto the table. His family stopped and turned their attention to him while Madam Tiffany and her son watched in amusement. 

“Madam Young,” The man croaked. As if all the fear that was vesseled inside his body was now gone, he finally had the confidence to directly look at the woman at the head of the table. 

“Yes Mr. Byun, how may I help you?” 

“I sincerely apologize for our rude behaviors. Please rest assured that I will take the lead once again in disciplining my family.” He bowed slightly before raising his head to meet the blonde woman’s eyes again. “But if my words of apologies won’t be sufficient for you to forgive me, you may take my stepson as an offering to your people.” He bowed again. 

The daughters gasped. Ji-hoon turned paler and began whimpering in fear. Baekhyun stopped eating and smirked. 

“M-my dear, how could you offer your child!” The old woman was panicking and was looking back and forth between her son and her husband. “Ji-hoon has been nothing but obedient to you, d-don’t say such things. H-he’s a very capable -” 

“An utter disappointment and headache he is.” He spares his wife a look, his face filled with anger and wrath. “And he is not my son. Only Baekhyun is.” He said through gritted teeth. 

The sisters exchanged worried glances, while Ji-hoon had stopped trembling but had turned to stone in fear for his life. 

“Honey please don’t say such things.” The old woman was still not giving up and forced a chuckle out of her. “I-I understand you’re mad but you should think this through because-”

Baekhyun groaned loudly in distaste. “See father, you should have listened to me when I told you that you shouldn’t have remarried after my own useless mother - as if she wasn’t enough to learn your lesson. Now look at what your hideous second wife did along with her conceited daughters and useless son. We’re now here if it weren’t for them.” 

He smiled sheepishly to Tiffany who looked at him when he spoke. “No offense madam; you’re nice but no one would want to be at the position we’re currently at.” 

For the first time since they sat down for dinner, Madam Tiffany actually laughed in amusement and humor. “I take no offense dear.” She smiled at Baekhyun who was eyeing the lamb shank in front of him. “I do understand your concerns; afterall, we do drink blood to survive. Please take a piece if you still want to eat.” She offers the Byun son.

Baekhyun gives her a grateful smile before he takes a piece. 

“How undignified you are! You dare talk about my family as if we’re pests and have done nothing good!” The old woman was now fuming. “My children are respectful towards their father while all you’ve done is play and meddle with the business as if it’s not important! My son and daughters have done all they can to do what they should learn when they do take over so you son of a wretched bitch can -” 

“My offer still stands Madam Young.” The old man cuts his wife’s statement. 

“Honey what are you -”

“Be quiet, woman!” He roared at his wife. “You and your children have done more than enough damages and I will not risk anything after this! You will all listen to what I say from now on, starting with Baekhyun taking over all that your damn son and daughters have! Is that clear?!” He scans his family who are sitting beside him on all sides. 

Baekhyun smiles as he makes a pop sound with the small piece of bone. 

“Madam Young…” The old Byun huffed once he had calmed down. “Please accept my offer and apology.” He bowed. 

Baekhyun’s step family cowered in fear, while the mother’s face was filled with horror and anger. She was obviously biting her tongue to stop herself from saying any more. 

Tiffany hummed in thinking. She then turned to her left to eye her son who has not moved nor talked since dinner has started. “What do you think my dear?” Her usually calm voice was now sweet and doting. “Would you like to have Ji-hoon?” She asked sweetly. 

The son stopped spinning his fork mid-rotation, and took a quick glance at Ji-hoon whose eyes were blown in fear.

“He was offered to you mother. It’s your choice.” He spoke for the first time that night. While his mother’s voice carried authority and calmness, his voice carried greater power and command. It was obvious that Madam Young’s son is very powerful and is to be feared more than his mother. 

“But Chanyeollie!” Madam Tiffany whined as if she wasn’t offering her child a human but a toy. “You never let mommy get you anything for a century now! I want to spoil you again!”

Chanyeol - what Tiffany’s son is called - raised his head to look at his mother who was frowning rather cutely at him. “Mother, I’m grateful you want to give me everything. But I would rather not have  _ that  _ human. He sounds terrible just from what we’ve heard so his blood will probably taste worse than his idiotic sister.” 

The family didn’t know whether they should be grateful or offended. 

Baekhyun groaned. “Here I thought you are actually capable of doing something.” He grumbled before he took another bite of his meal. 

However, Chanyeol perfectly heard what the human said. “I am a noble vampire, you glutton. So while I appreciate your father’s offer, I would rather not get sick from sucking your repulsive siblings. Besides, why would I do you a favor of getting rid of them, when I can get rid of you instead?” 

The Byun heir didn’t bother to pay attention as he ridiculously made faces while mimicking Chanyeol’s sentence. The other vampire growled in response. 

The anguished-filled air soon turned confused and curious as to why Chanyeol chose to speak now, responding to Baekhyun’s remarks. 

Baekhyun couldn’t care less that his family was there or Madam Tiffany was looking at him and his son as he sneered at the vampire. “What a waste of noble blood. Imagine how disappointed whoever deity created you thinking they’d get a powerful vampire but all they got was a slothful shell who’s too tall for this world.” 

“I was made tall so I could forever scoff at your tiny self.” The vampire snickered. 

The human gasped in shock and slammed his cutlery back to the table. “What did you call me, you blunt fanged pole?!” 

“You know, have you ever wondered how you manage to fit so much anger and frowns inside your tiny body? I mean, don’t you have a frown or sneering limit?” The vampire continued mocking the human. 

“I wouldn’t be frowning forever unlike you who would look dumb for eternity!”

“Ha! I’d rather die even as a mortal with a face and attitude like yours!” 

“Pathetic!” 

“Uncultured swine!” 

“I am not!” 

“Yes, you are!” 

The two boys continued raising their voices while throwing insults, absentmindedly standing up in the process. Their voices were growing loud by the minute that the guards came running to the dining area, thinking something might have happened to the vampire heir. 

To their utter confusion, they see their master standing while exchanging words with a small human. 

“You’re an oaf, you know that!”

“And you’re a troll!”   
  


“Talk again you elf! Your ears are pointier than your fangs!”

Chanyeol gasped in offense. “You did not just call me an elf!” 

“Yes I did, Santa’s vampire helper!” Baekhyun stuck his tongue out. 

Chanyeol did the same. “Glutton!” 

“Sloth!” 

“Dumbo!” 

“Bimbo!” 

“You are a walking mass of laziness and irresponsibility! I feel sorry for whoever created you!” 

“Hades did! And I feel sorry for him too because with your attitude you can easily take over his position!” 

The human inhaled, taking air as he tries to calm himself otherwise he will blow this vampire’s head off. 

“Fume all you want. At least I’m not an ostentatious prick such as yourself.” 

“Well yeah, you’re-” Baekhyun stopped mid sentence when he realized he doesn’t know the meaning of what Chanyeol called him. 

The vampire was able to catch on pretty quickly. 

“Ha! See, you don’t even know what that means! Who’s the dumb one now!” Chanyeol smirked. 

Baekhyun turned red in embarrassment. “Say one more and I’ll blow your head off!” 

“No, thank you. You’re not my type.” Chanyeol clicked his tongue. 

Baekhyun furrowed his brows in confusion for a second before he realized what the other was trying to imply.

“Yuck! Gross! What made you think you’re my type?!” 

“Oho, so going to deny that you went into my shower to check me out?” 

Baekhyun slammed his hand against the table. Ji-hoon yelped a bit when the plate bounced a bit. “For the last time, I didn’t know you were in there! I knocked several times because I needed to pee! You didn’t answer at all so I thought no one was there! It’s not like your cock is impressive.”

Chanyeol snorted. “Yeah, like yours is.” 

“Yeah sure, your cock is the most impressive thing about you. Too bad you’re the owner.” 

“Thanks for the appraising, Dr. Byun, specialist in dick sizes.” Chanyeol rolled his eyes. “Can’t believe I’m actually listening to you about this when the only penis you’ve probably seen is yours.” 

“Wrong again Park!” Baekhyun slammed his other hand. “You think I’d be straight and interested in women after I’ve lived with those unimpressive, unwanted bitches?!” He extended his left hand towards his family’s direction. 

One of the daughters was about to protest before Chanyeol’s voice echoed again. 

“Then you were indeed checking me out!” 

“You didn’t lock the door you ugly head!” 

“I was asleep!” 

“You should have done that before you slept inside the tub! And why are you sleeping while bathing? Are you that lazy?!” 

“Oh yeah… well…” Chanyeol looked around trying to use something against Baekhyun. 

“Ha! Cat got your dick?” 

“Oh shut up thick ass!” 

“They’re great I know!” Baekhyun smacks his butt while not breaking eye contact with the vampire.

“Well, I’m glad you do!” 

“Thank you! Glad to know your eyes are working well after all that sleeping, you buff arms!” 

Chanyeol gasped. “You have thick thighs! What are you a hippo?”

“You have a broad chest! What are you, a chopping block?” 

“You have fluffy cheeks! What are you a hamster?” 

Baekhyun gasped. “You called me tiny again! Well, you have too many abs! What are you washingboard?”

“Well you have hips that are too wide!” 

“You have dimples that are too deep!” 

“You have lips that are too red!” 

“You have a nose that’s too defined!” 

“Why you!” They both said in unison. 

The guards and other servants inside the room didn’t know what they should feel. One, it’s the first time they saw their master engage in such a childlike banter; two, were they arguing or were they complimenting each other? And lastly, what were they supposed to do about the information of their master’s dick size? 

With a tension filled but quiet air, Tiffany glanced at the two boys who were squinting at each other before she cleared her throat. As if in spell, the two broke eye contact and mellowed when they looked at the woman at the head of the table. 

“Are you boys done arguing?” She asked sweetly, trying to suppress a laugh. 

“No offense Madam Tiffany,” Baekhyun cleared his throat as he sat back down to his chair, “I am grateful to you, and I really respect you. But your son,” he snapped his gaze and growled at the vampire who was still standing from across him, “is absolutely detestable.” 

Tiffany let out a small amused chuckle that only Chanyeol was able to hear. 

Chanyeol knew his mother was entertained by what was unfolding in front of her. He is very much aware of how much his mother is fond of the annoying human across him as she often talks about him during their afternoon walks. While he sees what his mother sees, he cannot help but feel irritated at the human; there was something about him that always riles Chanyeol.

Knowing that his non-existent appetite was now worse, the vampire slammed his cutlery back to its proper place, and moved to peck his mother on the cheek. “I’m done.” 

“What? Chanyeollie come back here!” Tiffany called for her son but with legs as long as his, he was soon out of the dining room. 

With the vampire heir out of the room, the room’s atmosphere calmed down. But before the pleasant atmosphere could slip, the head of the Byun family quietly signaled for his family to start eating - resume eating in Baekhyun’s case - much to their chagrin, and wounded pride. 

After the scrumptious meal, Baekhyun found himself happily strolling through the halls of the Park mansion. His father has asked their family to convene to talk about their family affairs but the mafia heir deemed the occasion boring even before it commenced so he refused. But before his proud stepmother could scold him about his behavior, his father immediately allowed him, even adding that he could do anything he wanted to do. To have the old man in agreement with him was already wonderful, but to see the angered and bitter looks of his stepfamily made the moment glorious. 

So yes, Baekhyun was happy. He was in the middle of his stroll when one of the doors down the hall opened, and out came one of the vampires he has come to know since the start of their stay. 

“Yixing!” He loudly called and skipped towards him.

The vampire called Yixing is a tall vampire, not as tall as the vampire heir that he abhors, but tall nonetheless. He was handsome as well, with his face bearing natural innocence and kindness. Yet, it is this perception of his looks that allowed him to lead many victories for his kind against the humans who attempted to kill their kind. 

“Hi Baekhyun.” Yixing smiled, showing a cute dimple. “I heard your family finally ate proper food!” He sounded happier about that than the human himself. “But it seems your chipper mood is not just brought by the food alone.” The vampire cocks an eyebrow.

“Father has finally had enough of our family’s deadweight.” Baekhyun hops a bit as he stops in front of the vampire. “You should have seen the amusing looks they had earlier when father blatantly told them they were headaches.” He chuckled, recalling the scenario. 

“What a shame I missed it.” Yixing pouts, a bit sad he missed the scene. He’s quite certain they made a big fuss considering everyone in the family is as dramatic as Baekhyun. 

The human smiled at his companion. He had grown to like Yixing because not only was he able to understand Baekhyun’s rants, but there was so much dark side to the vampire that even Baekhyun would sometimes be caught off guard by hearing such thoughts from such an innocent face, and bubbly personality. 

“But where were you? You’ve been gone for two days. From what I heard, they had a wild mountain lion hunt yesterday; too bad you missed your favorite snack.” 

“They did?!” Yixing raised his voice but Baekhyun didn’t flinch but just nodded. “Those bastards! I told them not to until I get back.” He groaned. “Let’s pray they left a few for me.” 

“I doubt.”

“I know. Damn, I want to snap their necks.” 

The small human gave a small laugh. “So where were you?” He inquired again.

“I came to the crime scene to assess what happened two days ago. I had to check whether our men did their job properly and flawlessly.” 

Baekhyun scrunched his nose with confusion. “Crime scene?” 

Yixing looked at him in disbelief. “Don’t tell me you really cut yourself from the world outside this estate? You haven’t seen the news?”

He shrugged. “There’s nothing interesting out there anyway. Even before we arrived here, I rarely paid attention to news, or anything that did not interest me. So what crime scene?”

The vampire laughed. Baekhyun is really interesting as he thought. “The city mayor was killed.” 

The human cocked an eyebrow at the vampire, and let out a low hum. “And why did you kill him?” 

“He was almost successful at passing a local ordinance that would incriminate vampires, or worse bring harm to our kind. If it was passed, we’re certain that the national government will uphold this man as an example to rile humans against us. But now that he’s out of the way, the support for the ordinance would crumble without a strong man political leader.” 

The human hummed as he listened to the explanation. “So did Madam Tiffany order this?” 

The vampire eyed him first before answering. “No. Aunt Tiffany didn’t order this but was rather decided by me, her adviser, and Chanyeol’s adviser.” 

Baekhyun nodded slowly. In the past months that they’ve been held captive by the powerful creatures, he has learned a lot about their society’s dynamics. First, only five people are allowed to make decisions or laws for their kind: Madam Tiffany, the ruler of all the vampires, her son and the only heir, Chanyeol; Yixing, Tiffany’s nephew, and the advisers of the mother and son. Nonetheless, the advisers and Yixing cannot do all that they please or easily give command; the three of them must give consent to one another to have their plans started or have either the ruler or the heir’s approval. On the other hand, Madam Tiffany and Chanyeol’s orders are absolute, and immediate. 

While there is nothing wrong with this setup, the second thing that Baekhyun has learned is that the ruler and the heir rarely made direct and immediate orders. Yet, Madam Tiffany has personally requested her servants and constituents the capture of Baekhyun’s family who were intruding on their vampires’ business records.

At first, Baekhyun thought his wretched stepfamily’s activities had greatly offended Madam Tiffany, but as what he has learned from his observations and Yixing’s accounts, the woman is not one to directly punish whoever did crimes against her regardless of how vile the sins were. Yixing has demonstrated this countless times by how much he has ranted about his aunt’s objective ways of reasoning, stating that she weighs each side too much before she actually commands something to be done. So it was also a surprise to the vampire when his aunt had given a direct and urgent command. 

The third observation that Baekhyun learned is that the vampires have never kept humans as prisoners before. Even if they did, they didn’t last as long as the Byun family, let alone be allowed to roam free and do as they pleased. He has seen it, the peculiar looks and curious eyes from the vampires he meets while residing at the Park mansion. Their glances were a sufficient indicator that no human has ever stepped foot into these grounds. 

And so, the greatest mystery to the mafia heir is what Madam Tiffany’s goal is by keeping them captive or even alive.

“I know what you’re thinking about.” Yixing broke the younger’s thoughts. “You may be good at hiding your thoughts to your own kind but I’ve lived for nearly three centuries now. Your cunningness is child’s play to me.” 

Baekhyun eyed the tall vampire who was smiling proudly with his own revelation. The human couldn’t help but chuckle. “But I’m also guessing that you wouldn’t answer or appease my thoughts.” 

However, instead of teasing or confirming Baekhyun’s statement, Yixing frowned. “I wish I could answer you Baekhyun. But even I am in the dark about my aunt’s plans for bringing your family here.” 

At the revelation, Baekhyun’s interest perked up. “Wait so you mean you -” 

But before he could finish his statement, a loud resounding voice echoed through the halls. “Yixing!” 

Baekhyun closed his eyes and puffed in annoyance. Why must that annoying, too-overgrown for this world, useless prick always be where he is? He can feel every fiber of his body is convulsing, and he could feel his emotions rising. 

“Yixing, I didn’t know you were coming home today. I spared you a few mountain lions, by the way because I know -” Chanyeol stopped a meter away from his cousin, finally looking up from his book. 

Now he finally understands why his head was throbbing again; it’s because of the despicable lowlife that was conversing with his cousin. Why didn’t he figure it out sooner, when  _ the signs  _ were obvious. 

Seconds ticked by with Baekhyun throwing mean looks at the floor, and Chanyeol looking at the door where Yixing came out of. Yixing, on the other hand was curiously staring back and forth between his friend and his cousin. In a very rare moment of his life, he was looking at the people surrounding him not because he’s confused but he’s seeking affirmation - whether what he was  _ sensing  _ was true. 

He met eyes with Chanyeol for a brief moment, and refused to let the eye contact go. But the vampire heir was stronger than him by great strength and authority that he found himself caving into the intimidation. 

It was clear by the way his cousin was reacting that he was trying so hard to conceal what Yixing was sensing; and the more Chanyeol tried to suppress the suspicion, the more Yixing would not back down. For once, he was stubborn about this. 

He would because this concerns his cousin’s  _ life.  _

But the two vampires forgot that they were in the presence of a human. Baekhyun felt suffocated and soon realized that the overpowering feeling that was choking him was coming from the two non-humans standing in front of him. He was astounded by the sight: his friend whose demeanor was always calm was raging with determination, but the other vampire was also different. Chanyeol stood tall and proud as if evoking fear was natural for him. Baekhyun was familiar with this notion because he often got similar comments about his stature as a mafia heir; but Chanyeol sent shivers down his spine as he cowered in fear. 

The feeling was so new to the human that he found himself staring even more. His heart raced, his stomach hurled, and the floor beneath his feat felt like air; Baekhyun was captivated in  _ astonishment.  _ He knows Chanyeol is attractive objectively speaking. But as far as he was from Baekhyun’s ideal type, the vampire was also drawing him in everytime. 

And his thoughts snap. 

Baekhyun felt horrified with the realization that he just made many romantic and almost poetic lines in his head just because of a vampire. The stupid, irrelevant, and useless prick of a vampire,  _ may he add.  _ In his embarrassment, he pulled out his gun and without second thoughts, aimed at the vampires standing more than a meter away from him. 

Chanyeol and Yixing broke out of their contesting glares when the first shot was fired. Yixing quickly retreated back in a safe distance - a skill he learned in his centuries of battle to briefly observe his enemies. Chanyeol however, took small movements to dodge the aimless shots, and lurched forward to tackle the human. 

Before Yixing could stop his cousin from hurting Baekhyun, Chanyeol had already pinned the smaller to the ground with a loud thud, and a painful screech from the human. 

Time stopped with Baekhyun on the ground with his body aching, Yixing in a half running position from across the hall, and Chanyeol on top of the human with his fangs bare and eyes bloody red. 

Yixing was the first to snap from the trance and was just in time before his cousin could sink his teeth into the smaller. The two vampires wrestled against one another. 

“Chanyeol stop! Listen to me!” 

“Let go Yixing or I will break you into pieces!” 

The hall’s noises caught the attention of the other vampires residing in the mansion. They found their masters on the ground battling one another for dominance, while Baekhyun had regained strength to drag himself to lean against the wall across the two other men. 

Guards immediately came to try to stop the cousins from fighting but attempts were futile as both were the strongest of their kind. 

“How dare you try and stop me!” Chanyeol threw a punch. 

“You insolent brat! Always thinking you’re high and mighty that no one can order you!” Yixing kicks a counter. 

“A bitter lowlife is all you’re going to be!” The vampire heir grabs the other by the neck and slams him against the floor. “I’m the heir because I’m stronger.” 

Yixing lets out a bitter laugh. “That’s rich coming from our family’s bastard son. Some heir you are when your dad didn’t even see you worth living for!” He spats back. 

The servants were speechless and appalled; both were always in control of their senses so they have never seen their masters like this. They were always kind and loving with one another, but their insticts had obviously triggered their fight to have their most disgraceful feelings about each other made known. 

Chanyeol snaps with those words. His cousin, of all people, knows his insecurities and fears about his father, about his identity and conceiving. The hurt he felt made him grab him again by the neck and slam him against the wall this time. 

Yixing coughed blood. The servants gasped in shock and fear. “So tell me then  _ oh mighty cousin  _ who was blessed to be part of this family without prejudice, what will become of you if I cut your neck in half?” Chanyeol’s voice was dangerous and low. 

“Let him go you fucking jerk!” 

As if on switch, Chanyeol’s grip around his cousin’s neck loosens and Yixing drops on the floor hacking for air. 

Everyone’s attention then turns to the human who was now on his feet with his strength regained. His eyes were murderous - everyone could tell he led a dangerous and bloody life. “You sick fucker.” He says through gritted teeth. 

Baekhyun takes careful but threatening steps towards the standing vampire. “You try to kill me and suck my blood, and now you try to kill your cousin? In front of all the staff that adored you? Clearly you are lowlife here! So all those promises of us coming here not for food were empty words then?!”

Chanyeol remains silent. With small movements, he scans the hall to find the servants surrounding them with horrified looks, damaged walls and floors, and his cousin bloodily lying next to his feet as other servants tend to his wounds. 

“Come on then, speak! Tell everyone here,” Baekhyun opens his arms and turns to look at everyone - he was making a show out of this, “Tell everyone how you blatantly lied to my family that we weren’t food, and couldn’t even wait for me to get to the kitchen to be butchered by the way you were so eager to dig your fangs on my neck. While you’re at it, tell them too that you were trying to kill your cousin because he tried to stop you!” 

Dread filled the vampire as realization hit him. 

“What’s wrong you damn carnivore?! You always had a say or comment about my words now why don’t you make use of that talent and talk!” Baekhyun was fuming. He was shaking as he spoke. “Why not talk? Hm? Because you’re guilty? You feel sorry? Hm? Tell that to Yixing who you almost killed! Tell that to me and my family, and all the other humans you killed and lied to because you want food!” 

Baekhyun doesn’t understand why he’s mad. It’s not like he hasn’t lied to kill someone or to take advantage of them before. And it most certainly happened to him before. So why was he enraged just by thinking of what happened moments ago? Why was he mad thinking of what  _ Chanyeol did _ ?

“Can’t speak because it’s true. It’s true that you deceive everyone who puts their trust in you just to get a bite or a drop of blood. Honestly, I’m surprised that your staff seemed to only learn of it now.” He turns to address those surrounding them. “Take a good look everyone. This is the heir you’re all raising. Your future ruler tried to kill a human behind your backs a violation of your treaties, and tried to murder his cousin in front of all of you!” 

He turns back to look at the vampire who was now looking at him with an unreadable expression. But his heart tugged in pain when he saw how the taller looked. 

“But guess that’s what bastards are, right?” He should stop now before he hurts him, he should stop now before that expression turns broken, “I don’t understand how Madam Tiffany actually loves you?” 

Stop Baekhyun. A voice echoed in his thoughts. 

“Maybe she didn’t and only raised you because you remind her of your dad who died because of you? Think about it, that’s actually more plausible than the latter.” 

Stop now. 

“Your dad actually saw how vile you’d become and tried to kill you but he got killed instead for trying to harm you. Yes, I know about it - all the dirty stories and rumors about you, I know all of it you sick leech.” 

“B-Baekhyun…” He heard Yixing softly call his name but he couldn’t bring himself to stop talking. 

“You’re despicable, unlovable, a disgrace, an outrage, and a curse to your kind. I wouldn’t give you my blood even if it’s going to be your saving grace. I’d happily watch you die in misery instead.” 

Before his words registered in his head, he immediately realized that maybe his words carried more than the hurt he intended to say. The moment the last words escaped his lips, Chanyeol’s expression went from guilty to horrified to broken to calm. A rage of sadness was what the vampire’s countenance was left to bear. 

“Go die you useless blunt-fanged bitch.” Baekhyun lastly mumbled before he walked past him to Yixing who was still lying on the ground. 

The other vampire was badly injured and it was so obvious he was hurt from his crying. “No Baekhyun don’t say those.” Yixing said through broken loud sobs. 

The human was confused. But Yixing panicked and tried to sit up but his injuries made it impossible and the other servants prevented him from doing so. “Chanyeol!” He shouted in a pleading voice. “Chanyeol!” He called again crying. 

Baekhyun peeked over his shoulder to see the other vampire gone. 

“Chanyeol!” Yixing called again. “Chanyeol, please come back! I’m sorry!” Yixing cried louder, and it was taking so much effort from the servants to pin him down. 

“Yixing, stop moving. They need to patch up your wound.” Baekhyun hissed. 

But his words fell on deaf ears as the former still loudly cried for his cousin, and begging forgiveness. That was all Yixing said even until he was wrapped in bandages and safely laid inside his room. 

When the doors of the vampire’s room shut close, Baekhyun was finally able to register all that he said. Worse of all, he now finally understood what Chanyeol’s expressions were: shame, guilt, sadness, and pain. 

Baekhyun was only able to see those expressions in the eyes of all those he killed in cold blood. 

Fear engulfed his body with the thought of killing the vampire. But he didn’t injure him in any way so there was no way he could have killed the vampire. And so he just hopes his words weren’t too harsh.

As he walked back to his room to the other part of the mansion, his heart grew heavier, and his soul felt like it was breaking into pieces. 

And as each step felt a step closer to death, another being in another part of the mansion was welcoming it. 

||

A week after that incident, the mansion changed. Not the structure but the beings living within it did - their moods were now always low and depressing. Baekhyun had not seen Yixing since then but he was told that the vampire was now well and resumed his work. He now also rarely saw the advisers who he often met walking down the halls, he heard they were now busier with work. Also, Madam Tiffany has not left her room since then and so her gardens have started to wilt and die. He tried asking, but everyone just lowered their heads in shame. 

Chanyeol was the most peculiar case of them all. He somehow vanished. The places where Baekhyun would often see him resting were now empty, but it was even weirder that his belongings that were once scattered across his favorite places were nowhere to be seen too. Coincidentally, Baekhyun saw the vampire’s room when the servants had accidentally left the door wide open only to see an empty space with only the bed’s frame left in the center. 

He tried asking, but everytime the vampire’s name was mentioned, the air turned heavy as if the servants were mourning. 

And Baekhyun could not help but feel distressed with the sudden unusual changes happening. Earlier that morning, he saw servants cleaning out all of the shelves that contained Chanyeol’s books, and were placing them in boxes while they handled them with utmost sacredness. 

His heart shattered and his soul cried in anguish when he saw that. He felt a part of him was dying. But he didn’t understand why he was feeling this way. And now he could not shake off the feeling that something terrible happened. 

When one of the advisers came into their living quarters an hour ago to declare that they would be set free soon, he realized that indeed something bad happened. And so, while his family rejoiced with their upcoming freedom, Baekhyun wallowed in his thoughts thinking about the events from a week ago. He tried figuring out what went wrong, and most especially why he feels pained and crying every time he thinks of a certain memory. 

No, his heart breaks thinking of a  _ certain someone.  _

Baekhyun doesn’t understand himself anymore. He was never one to worry about anyone so why was he so agitated because of someone - someone he hates. Supposedly. 

Immersed in his thoughts, Baekhyun didn’t notice that he had wandered aimlessly to the nearly abandoned part of the mansion. He was about to turn around to return to his family’s living quarters but a narrow passageway at the end of the hall catches his attention. 

He carefully walked towards it, expecting a jump scare or a creepy creature but found a very narrow stairway. He looked up to see where the stairs end but the darkness above indicates that it’s a long way upstairs. 

To kill his racing thoughts and his worries, he carefully climbed up the set of stairs. Light was beginning to diminish as there were no windows along the very small steps. After minutes of slowly climbing up the dark, light was beginning to emerge indicating he was near the top. 

True enough, Baekhyun reached the top with ragged breathing. At the top of the stairway, was a small window to his right that was bringing light to the big wooden door on his left. There was no hallway at all but just a wall, a window, and a giant door. 

Everything about the scenario spelled trouble. While the place exudes an air of creepiness, Baekhyun wasn’t even fazed - he’s a mafia heir for crying out loud. Neither death nor a bullet scares him, and neither would that door. 

So with careful and silent steps, and with his hand behind his back ready to reach out for his gun, Baekhyun gently pushed the door. 

To his surprise, it wasn’t locked. It wasn’t even fully closed. 

Baekhyun was on full alert when he peeked inside. He expected trouble or the devil, but he was more taken aback by what he saw. 

Inside the room is a man lying face down in the middle of the floor with blood pooling around his body. Intrigued by the scenario, Baekhyun pushed his body a bit further but not fully leaving the safety of the door. 

The man was coughing vigorously and his body was shaking violently. As he coughed, he would vomit blood with it. 

Baekhyun stood there still silently observing the suffering man. He wasn’t appalled by the blood as he has seen more blood in his lifetime more than anyone. But there was something awfully familiar about this guy that he couldn’t turn around to ignore whatever was happening in front of him. 

Frankly, there was nothing interesting about a man coughing blood when you’re a mafia boss’ son. But he was drawn towards this guy and couldn’t shake off his worry.

Great, he thought. He came up here thinking he’d be distracted from his thoughts about an overgrown vampire but here he is again feeling the same churning feeling he was feeling since the vampire vanished. Will every vampire in this household make him feel -

His questions were cut when he realized why what he is feeling is so familiar. Dread crept through him as he carefully eyed the man who was now coughing more violently. 

_ As if his soul was being called towards him _

All the moments he felt anxious as if someone was going to die finally made sense. It wasn’t him that was dying. 

Chanyeol was. 

Without any second thoughts, Baekhyun widely opened the door and ran towards Chanyeol. His expensive clothes or shoes be damned, he couldn’t care less now whether they were going to be soiled by blood. 

He immediately knelt down on the floor and gently flipped the vampire so he was now lying on his back. Now that Baekhyun was finally able to take a good look at Chanyeol’s face, he could tell that he was very pale. His skin was cold too but he was sweating buckets. 

“C-Chanyeol…” Baekhyun’s voice came out shaky. He was taken aback by how terrified his voice sounded - this side of him was completely new to him too. 

By the mention of his name by the voice that he has been vividly hearing for the past week, Chanyeol’s eyes instantly blinked open. His vision was blurry because of his weakening strength but he was very certain that the silhouette of the man hovering above him was the human that he has been longing for. 

The same human that  _ his soul is yearning to hold.  _ The same person who made him like this. 

When his senses finally cleared, and his sense of reasoning finally returning, Chanyeol was alarmed to see someone, let alone Baekhyun. 

“Chanyeol? Can you hear me?” Baekhyun could no longer hide the distress he was feeling. The longer the other didn’t respond to his calls, the more scared he became that he was too late. 

“What are you doing here?” Chanyeol forced his voice to come out to silence the other’s immediate worries, while he tried to suppress all his desires for the other. 

“What’s happening to you? Why are you stuck up here in this tiny space?” The human ignored the other’s question. He looked around the room to check if there was anything that he could use to help Chanyeol but all there was in the room was a small table and a very small bed. 

“Why are you here Baekhyun?” Chanyeol propped on his elbows. That may have been a terrible decision because now he was a few centimeters closer to the human. 

“I didn’t mean to enter. I was just wandering around the mansion when I saw the stairs.” Baekhyun explained but he was not looking directly at the vampire as he was still busy scanning the room for something they could use. “Anyway, let’s get you downstairs so someone could treat you -”

“Get out.” The vampire hissed. 

Baekhyun was startled. He shifted his attention back to the vampire whose eyes were dark and venomous. He wanted to laugh at himself with how ridiculous he might have looked worrying over Chanyeol when the latter didn’t even want him here. 

Somehow, his heart ached with his thoughts. He should drill it into his head that the taller would never be, at the very least, civil with him. 

“You’re right. I shouldn’t be here.” He manages to respond. “I should just let you cough all your blood and die, right?” 

Chanyeol opens his mouth to respond but doubles over to cough more blood. His body was throbbing in pain. The surge of pain he was currently feeling was more intense than what he felt throughout the week. 

In the midst of his battle with his own body, he hears Baekhyun snort. “You’re almost dying yet you still refuse the help that I’m kindly giving you.” 

He bites his inner cheek to regain control over his body. “Get out now.” He repeats again. 

“Can’t you just swallow your pride just this once? I won’t use it against you when we argue again in the future but if you don’t get help now you’ll soon color the entire floor with your blood.” Baekhyun sounded desperate to stay. He sounded like he was looking for a reason to remain by the vampire’s side. 

Which wasn’t exactly false.

“Y-you don’t understand.” 

Baekhyun even had the audacity to roll his eyes in sarcasm. “Yeah sure. Take a good look around you, you stupid prick. I honestly don’t even know how you managed to cough up this much blood and is still alive. Even all the people I killed before didn’t spill this many which just proves that you are a messy and lousy bitch who can’t -”

“Baekhyun.” Chanyeol’s stern and deep authoritative voice cuts the human’s monologue. 

The human locks gaze with the pale vampire whose eyes are now burning with resolve. “Get out now. For your safety.” 

Baekhyun’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. But before he could ask, the vampire spoke again. 

“I’m craving blood, Baekhyun. Human blood to be exact.” 

The air calms as Baekhyun takes in the meaning of those words. As he takes in the warning that he is in grave danger right now. Despite all the warning signs flaring inside his head, Baekhyun still refuses to leave.

“I…” his voice shakes so he has to clear his throat. “I don’t understand the issue. So just drink blood like you always do. Go get human blood from the blood bank or the human hospital that your family owns if that’s what you want.” 

Chanyeol gave an exasperated groan in response to the other’s stubbornness. “Give it up will you? You don’t understand anything!” 

“Then make me understand!” 

“I don’t want anyone’s blood but yours!” 

Finally Baekhyun understood the situation. Chanyeol wasn’t mad or appalled by his presence. Instead he was doing his best to keep Baekhyun safe - safe from himself. 

It’s not the time to swoon over someone but suddenly Baekhyun had a strong urge to smack his lips against the pale being in front of him. He’s supposed to agree with him and walk out the door, not stare at him lovingly. 

When minutes passed and Baekhyun had not moved or talked, Chanyeol could no longer handle the silence. He needed distraction or he might lose what is left of his so little self-control. 

“We’ve been trying. Yixing’s been out almost everyday looking for something to repress me from hunting your blood. But nothing is working. So I’m begging you, leave now before I sink my teeth against your neck. You wouldn’t want a blunt-fanged bastard touching you, right?” Chanyeol tried to bring the smaller out his trance by making a provoking remark. 

It somehow worked. Baekhyun focused on him again. But the human didn’t miss the hurt speedily passing through the vampire’s eyes. He knows his words from last week had left a great imprint on the other. He wants to castrate himself because of that. 

“Y-you’re…” He takes a deep breath. “You’re so dumb it’s actually affecting my brain!” Baekhyun shouts so loud that Chanyeol abruptly stood up from his lying position. He stood up as well trying so hard to somehow match the taller height. 

“You’re so dumb to think or make decisions for my behalf!” He wasn’t actually mad. He just wanted to rile Chanyeol so he could stay longer by his side. Somehow, he just knows that if he walks out the door now, the vampire would be dead tomorrow. 

“E-excuse me?”

“I’ve been having a match with death since I was born and you think your fangs would scare me? Don’t make me laugh, your highness.” He rolls his eyes to try to hide that he is scared of how Chanyeol will react. “I’ve had my blood spilled many times. I’ve also spilled other’s blood. So what makes you think I’d think of you differently? You insult my ability to take sharper knives than your fangs. I even went through a rain of bullets so your teeth wouldn’t mean a thing to -” 

Baekhyun wasn’t able to finish his taunting when he was suddenly pulled into Chanyeol’s arms. Before he could yelp or react, he felt a sharp pain and a piercing through his neck’s skin. 

He stilled not because he was shocked but rather because he wanted to make it easier for the vampire. He knows it’s strange how he didn’t feel any pain or any feelings of shock when he realized that Chanyeol was sucking his blood, that he was now basically reduced from nemesis to food. 

He still found it funny how all those arguments would still have them end up like this. Although Baekhyun did picture that he’d have his blood taken on top of a kitchen counter. 

Damn. He has associated his sexual fantasies into a life threatening situation. 

He couldn’t help but release a soft laugh with his thoughts. Chanyeol immediately breaks away from the smaller one’s neck thinking he had finally hurt him. But to his utter confusion, Baekhyun looked fine and was actually suppressing a laugh. 

He still had a tight hold around the human’s waist to keep him in place, but if it were any possible, he’d want to have him even closer. His self-control has completely crumbled and now all he could think of is how he loves having the human so close to him.

He loves how their bodies are pressed against each other, how he could feel the other tenses in anticipation when he draws his face so close to his neck, and he loves how Baekhyun relaxes in his hold - in moments like these he can somehow delude himself that the human feels the same about him.  _ Finally  _ feels the same about him. 

“You know I actually imagined that you’d do this while I’m spread all over the kitchen counter top.” Baekhyun shares his thoughts because he thinks that the vampire might find the idea funny as well. 

True enough, Chanyeol releases a small laugh. Baekhyun knows if the vampire had sufficient strength he would have given a bigger reaction. Somehow, he’s so sure of this. 

The vampire ran his tongue across the human’s neck, teasingly licking the skin surrounding the puncture he created. “You smell so divine.”

Baekhyun could only give a low moan in response as the taller was showering his neck with feather kisses. The small huffs of breath that his skin feels sends shivers down his spine. He knows his legs won’t last any longer. 

“Cha-” his voice cracked, “Chanyeol, s-stop teasing me.” Yet there was no hint of threat or any malice in his voice. A half-hearted command was all it was. 

Gladly obeying, Chanyeol kissed him. The kind of kiss that reduced the noises in his background to ashes, but also the kind of kiss that makes him weak in his knees, but all the kind of kiss that would make anyone want to get down on their knees and beg for more.

“Fuck.” Baekhyun returned to his senses when the vampire hastily pushed him away. He was ready to protest, scream at the taller again for  _ stopping _ , but then the other was swiftly walking towards the wide open door. 

Chanyeol was walking tall and proud as if he wasn’t walking on his own blood. He slammed the door shut before quickly strutting back to where the human was standing. He’s already done so much now might as well give in to temptation and do all that he wants to do. 

The human was confused why Chanyeol broke off their kiss - their  _ damn hot  _ kiss, if he may add just to close a door. “Why did you close -” 

But before he could finish his question, Chanyeol crashed their lips together again; but with more rigor and passion - lust consuming their beings. 

Both were consumed in their thoughts and their desires as they navigated around the room and crashed against the bed. 

||

Usually, the mafia heir wakes up to sunlight entering through the large windows of the vampires’ mansion. But recently, he’s been waking up to the sound of distressed grunts or not so subtle lips tracing his skin. 

Today, he woke up because of the latter. Through his sleep-heavy eyes, Baekhyun glanced at the small window above the bed to estimate what time of the day it was. To his dismay, it was still dark outside. 

“Chanyeol,” he called with his hoarse voice. Frankly, he was tired and sore so he just wants to sleep peacefully. But the vampire had other plans; Baekhyun didn’t mind all the sex actually, but the taller couldn’t even hold a conversation - no, not even a single coherent word was said by the vampire since their last bantering when Baekhyun discovered this room.

It’s been three days since. Most of what has transpired was hazy and the concept of time seemed to have vanished by how many rounds they’ve been having sex; but also the amount of blood Chanyeol has sucked out of the human.

Baekhyun didn’t need to look into a mirror to know that he might have a few bites and hickeys scattered all over his body. And as much as he would like to protest when the vampire kept biting the same spot twice to take blood, he just couldn’t find it in him to lash out.

Not when Chanyeol would sob and crumble into apologies after every round. But every time Baekhyun would like to ask what’s wrong, his consciousness was slipping and all he would remember is peacefully slumbering in the warm arms of Chanyeol.

||

Things changed on the sixth day. 

Baekhyun didn’t wake up because of grunts or hungry lips, but he was awoken by sunlight. He was confused for a second before he realized that he was back in his room that he occupies in the mansion. 

He immediately sat up in horror and worry. He was worried that all of it might have been a dream or Chanyeol was just a figment of his imagination - just the thought of it made him sick and horrified. 

_ I can’t lose him again. _

But the moment he sat up, a terrible wave of nausea and headache hit him. His entire body was sore and he felt like fainting.

Baekhyun clutched his neck to stop the vomit he felt was coming when he felt the side of his neck ache with his abrupt touch. He stopped when he realized what it could have meant.

Slowly, he peeked inside his shirt to confirm his suspicions. True enough, his body was littered with hickeys and bite marks.

He sighed in relief.

The mafia heir was probably deranged for finding his bruised and aching body a comforting sight. He wanted to laugh at himself.

But before he could muster his strength to stand up, the door of his room opens and reveals a shocked Yixing. The vampire looked distressed and made no attempt to hide his panic when he saw Baekhyun sitting up.

Before Baekhyun could call him, Yixing went running out of the door calling for the family’s doctor. 

||

“You’ll need to rest for a few more days. You’ve been out for a while because of blood lost.” The vampire’s family doctor, Xiumin informed Baekhyun as he carefully rubbed a soothing medicine on the human’s neck.

Baekhyun felt his muscles relax when the cooling sap immediately made the pain he was feeling quite better.

“You’ve been out for a week, in case you want to ask.” Xiumin said without making eye contact as he was busy arranging his stuff on the bedside table. “Chanyeol really couldn’t hold himself. Then again, I understand him.” He sighed.

“W-“ Baekhyun’s voice cracked. “W-what do you mean?”

Xiumin turns to look at him with a questioning expression. “You don’t know?”

Baekhyun shakes his head as an answer.

The vampire doctor searched for any signs of bluff from the human’s eyes but when he realized that the mafia heir was neither joking nor aware of his current predicament, he sighed. “Tell me Baekhyun, do you feel any sort of feeling that is so strong when you’re near Master Chanyeol? As if regardless whether you see him or not, you can feel him?”

The human stared at the wall across his bed. To answer Xiumin’s questions, yes, he has those strange feelings all the time. He knows in his gut and soul when Chanyeol is near; he thought it was just his mafia skill experiences that gave him this awareness but he realized something was wrong with him when he could even feel the hollow within him when the vampire went missing.

“What about feeling as if you know him?” The doctor interrupted his train of thoughts and asked again. “Have you ever had moments when you know what he’s going to say or do?”

Baekhyun froze with this question. Because the answer is yes. And if Xiumin is asking him these things then all these strange emotions must have risen because of Chanyeol.

“C-Chanyeol,” Baekhyun cleared his throat. “I-I need to see him.”

The doctor looked into his eyes with pity and worry. “I’m sorry Baekhyun,”

_ No. Please, I need to see him… _

“But I can’t help you with anything about Master Chanyeol,”

_ I need to tell him I’m sorry. And that I won’t leave him again. _

Xiumin sighed before he continued, “Master Yixing took him out of the mansion. No one knows where he is now.”

Baekhyun felt his bones break in pain with the revelation. He just prays that the vampire is still alive.

_ I’m so sorry Chanyeol. Please forgive me. _

He cried himself to rest.

||

One week has passed since Baekhyun had started recuperating; that also means two weeks since he has last seen or heard from Chanyeol. 

Maids have been tending to him since then as he didn’t have enough strength to stand or function normally yet. 

But that wasn’t what bothered him. He’s quite certain that the vampires of the mansion knows what happened to him - the way they look at him tells it all. But what he doesn’t understand is that everyone is still acting like Chanyeol is dead. No one would answer his questions about the vampire heir - it seems like he never existed in the first place.

And so, now that he is strong enough on his own to move around, Baekhyun didn’t waste any time in looking for clues about where the vampire may be. Without any clue or idea where to look for him, Baekhyun frantically was searching back and forth from all the places Chanyeol would usually be found at. But when the day passed not bearing any leads at all, Baekhyun grew frustrated and anxious.

_ Please, please let me see him. I need to be with him. _

He no longer questioned the strong waves of emotion within him everytime he thought of the vampire. They were always in extremes - like how he is on the edge of anxiety and fear that he may lose Chanyeol; or when melancholy hits him when he recalls the childish banters they shared; there’s also the excitement of seeing him again but also the gut feeling that he’s just so sure of how kind the vampire is. But there is also a pile of guilt from many different things such as his harsh words that he knows triggered the vampire’s worsening health, but also a pang of guilt for leaving him.

It was as if an entirely different being was taking over him; but Baekhyun didn’t care. He needed Chanyeol.

||

Yixing was tired from an entire day of searching for a ray of hope that would save his cousin. His aunt has now lost all hope and has resorted to locking herself in her quarters thinking she would lose her child. But Yixing wasn’t ready to give up yet. He was partially responsible for mishandling his cousin’s outburst.

When Yixing realized what was going on between Chanyeol and Baekhyun, he knew he shouldn’t have pressed the issue further. But he is very worried about his cousin; he couldn’t help it as Chanyeol has been hurt by so many people countless times that he wouldn’t want to see that again.

But when desire and the suppressed feelings that Chanyeol has for the human surfaced, he panicked thinking Chanyeol would harm the human. And so he allowed his senses to take over him to fight his ever so powerful cousin. When he came back to his senses and realized how much he fucked up, Baekhyun made a final blow.

When he finally regained sufficient strength, he was horrified to see his cousin lock himself up in a tower. He saw how his aunt begged Chanyeol to drink human blood or else he’ll die; but Chanyeol was firm in his refusal.

Yixing felt guiltier each day that passed because Chanyeol was growing worse. When his cousin’s condition worsened, they had no choice but to force him to drink blood - but that made things worse. Chanyeol vomited all the blood he drank and also hurled his own blood.

They were all terrified that his cousin was dying; and most of all, he felt desperate to save him. So he spent the nights by his cousin’s bedside just softly muttering a string of apologies.

It was one of those nights that Yixing was standing by Chanyeol’s bed when he heard the vampire heir speak. He spoke loud and clear as if he wasn’t in pain and so Yixing thought that Chanyeol was awake. 

But to his surprise, his cousin was just sleep-talking. More importantly, he was calling someone in his sleep. 

_ “I-I’m sorry Hyunnie…”  _ A sob broke out of Chanyeol.  _ “I’m sorry. Please forgive me, please don’t leave me. I’ll be better this time…” _

Yixing could no longer hide his sadness and broke into crying. Centuries have passed and yet, the emotional trauma that Chanyeol’s father had inflicted on his cousin is still deep. But worse of all, he finally realized why Madam Tiffany wanted to capture the Byuns.

Not having much time and options left before Chanyeol dies, Yixing couldn’t care less if he’ll be punished with death for what he was about to do. He’d rather face death rather than live with the guilt in his heart forever.

And so, Yixing swiftly walked across the halls to meet a certain human.

||

Yixing was on his way to Baekhyun’s room when he heard painful sobs coming from his cousin’s now empty room. 

He didn’t believe in ghosts but he wouldn’t rule out that possibility. Afterall, if soulmates do exist then why can’t ghosts? 

He carefully opened the door only to find the human he’s seeking hunched on the floor crying his heart out.

“I’m so sorry… please forgive me… Chanyeol…” Baekhyun was clutching a piece of jewelry that he recognized as his cousin’s most prized possession. Chanyeol often carried it with him when they were younger but stopped when the vampire heir lost all hope of happiness.

“Baekhyun?” He softly called.

The human immediately raised his head in response to the voice. He wasn’t loudly crying but he was holding back his sobs in case he needed to fight.

“Baekhyun…” Yixing called again. “What are you doing here?”

Baekhyun’s eyes glossed in sadness. The human looked at the bracelet he was holding. He was contemplating whether he should talk with Yixing about his concern but he’s afraid they will kill him if they find out what he knows. Worse, they might kill Chanyeol.

“Baekhyun.” Yixing sighed and called for him again. “What do you know about you and Chanyeol?”

With the mention of his name, the human expectantly looked up at Yixing. 

“I…” What does Baekhyun know? He knows Chanyeol has been alive for many centuries now, the vampire’s father wanted him dead and so he grew up labeled as the family’s bastard. He knows that Madam Tiffany sheltered him so much from the world that the vampire knows so little of the changes that happen each century that turns. 

Baekhyun knows a lot but also so little. If he were to illustrate, he knows the general timeline of events that transpired with the powerful vampire heir’s life but did not know the finest details about these events. 

“I don’t think you’re oblivious to our childhood, right?” Yixing broke the human’s thoughts. Baekhyun carefully looked at the vampire standing a few feet away from him. From a normal human’s perspective, the vampire may come off as cool and stoic but Baekhyun has always been observant thanks to doing his father’s dirty work that he knows Yixing was growing impatient and troubled. 

“Look, I know you may be doubting my intentions so I’ll just run my mouth until you get what I’m trying to say. Just stop me if you decide you’ve had enough of my shit, okay?” Yixing was definitely growing impatient. He doesn’t know how much he can remain standing inside the mansion without looking for a solution to his cousin’s predicament. 

“Okay.” Came the short and soft reply to Yixing’s proposal.

The vampire eyed the human who was now standing tall and proud before him - standing in the same manner of confidence and authority he always had. “Tell me what’s happening with Chanyeol and don’t stop until I tell you to or I swear I will rip your head off.”

The vampire smiled at himself.  _ This is progress.  _

||

“Chanyeol’s dad was hungry for power. No one knew back then because of how he masked his evil nature,” Yixing let out an unamused chuckle. 

“Was?” Baekhyun raised an eyebrow in question. “Past tense so you mean -”

“He’s been long dead Baekhyun. He was charged for treason against humans and vampires.” Yixing slowly slumped down to the ground out of exhaustion. “But aunt Tiffany loved him. She didn’t know what kind of a man he was back then but because she was blindly in love with him she didn’t listen to anyone and still conceived a child with him. I don’t remember it clearly, but I remember how happy we all were when they said that our heir has a destined mate.” The vampire smiled wistfully, “my mom spent so much time with aunt Tiffany helping her prepare for birth. Then when Chanyeol was finally born, everyone was excited to finally have a powerful heir to our kind.” He smiled again in remembrance. 

“But I guess his dad wasn’t very pleased with this.” Baekhyun’s blood was boiling just from guesing. 

Yixing’s expression hardened with anger as well. “No, he wasn’t. He was already in distress to learn that his newborn son will undoubtedly grow to be the most powerful of our kind; but what ticked him off the most was learning his son’s other half,” Yixing choked down a low growl from anger. “It drove him mad knowing his son’s other half is a human. But that’s never been an issue with us despite some disagreements between our kinds, we lived in harmony and peace.” 

“So he was discriminatory against humans?” 

“That and because he got scared that the human he killed to gain this much power was haunting him.” Yixing chuckled.

“I’m sorry, what?” Baekhyun interrupted again. “What do you mean a human came to haunt him?”

“He killed a prominent village leader before he met aunt Tiffany. The village’s shaman begged for him to spare the leader’s young child or be cursed forever. But…” Yixing suddenly became lost in his thoughts. 

“He still killed that young child, including the shaman and the village, didn’t he?” The vampire flinched by how nonchalant Baekhyun finished the sentence. “Killing’s been part of my life too, that’s why I can predict what he did.” Yet, the mafia heir was trying his very best to not let his rage and horror be obvious. 

“Yes, he did kill everyone in the region.” Yixing spoke quietly. “He was scared that the destined mate of his child was the promised curse upon him so he started his killings again. H-he went mad from fear and it was so bad that other vampires had to sacrifice themselves to capture him.” 

Baekhyun looked at the vampire slumped on the floor whose sobs could no longer be held. “D-did,” he cleared his throat, “did you lose someone from that fight too?” 

“I was very young back then and couldn’t remember everything but… but… I lost my dad to him too.” The vampire cleared his throat and blinked his tears away. “Heartbroken and scared, my mom and aunt Tiffany shielded the two of us from harm. They still made sure we would grow in love despite losing our dads.” 

“But you figured everything out soon.” Baekhyun stated. 

Yixing nodded in confirmation. “Chanyeol and I grew up happy. I remember how anxious and excited he was to meet his destined mate, and we spent our childhood imagining how he would meet his other half but then…” the vampire choked down his sobs again, “we accidentally found out that his dad’s family has been terrorizing humans.” 

“Accidentally?” 

Yixing turned quiet and the air turned heavy. His gaze was down to the floor, eyes reflecting guilt, “It was all my fault… I asked him to sneak out with me despite his reservations and fears, he went with me. We were having fun until one of his dad’s remaining loyal servants discovered us. They were afraid that Chanyeol came to the human town to look for his soulmate and so they killed all the humans. Chanyeol begged for them not to kill everyone and just finish him instead,” tears were silently falling from the vampire’s eyes. Pain and guilt were evident as if it was only yesterday when the events happened. 

“Because of me… because of me... mom and Chanyeol…” Yixing was quietly mumbling to himself but the human caught on rather quickly. 

“Your mom died protecting you two.” Baekhyun softly finished for the vampire.

Yixing was pulled out of his trance and carefully looked at the human who didn’t look at him with judging eyes but with softness and pain for his loss. He cleared his throat, “Y-yeah. Since then aunt Tiffany has been strictly commanding our kind to avoid associating with humans. But Chanyeol… Chanyeol changed. Guilt from _ losing you _ over and over again just pained him so much he just began isolating himself.”

The statement struck something within Baekhyun. “What do you mean by pain from losing  _ me? _ ” He interrupted Yixing’s story because of his confusion.. He and Chanyeol met before? That’s ridiculous unless he has been reincarnated dozens of times then there’s no way - 

Realization finally dawned on him. “T-this isn’t my first life then…” he whispered. 

“No Baekhyun. You died the same day my mother did but because of Chanyeol’s nature and the curse on his father, you’ve been living countless lifetimes now.” 

Baekhyun stared at Yixing searching for any hint of bluff from that statement. “Then why didn’t Chanyeol tell me anything when I arrived in this mansion months ago?! Why did he act all repulsed around me?!” Baekhyun was hurt - hurt knowing he had been living many lifetimes because he and Chanyeol don’t end up together; hurt knowing that Chanyeol’s been hurting over him too; hurt that because of some old prideful vampire, he and Chanyeol are stuck in this loop of a curse. But he also felt betrayed knowing Chanyeol didn’t say anything when they met again in this lifetime.

“No offense Baekhyun but how was he supposed to welcome you when you arrived?” Yixing snorted. “Besides, many lifetimes before that one you’re currently living as, you left him when he told you the truth. You died in his arms telling him you hate him for dragging you into this mess.” 

The human gapes with the revelation. “W-what…”

“You’ve already told him you hate him before, already said that he’s better off gone so what makes you think he’d jump in front of you to welcome you in a hug this time? He was so hurt by what you said that he tried forgetting about you and stopped finding you. If it weren’t for aunt Tiffany’s perseverance, no one would be able to find you again.” 

“So why am I always mad at him? Why do I feel like my heart is breaking everytime I look at him and he looks at me with so much pain? Why do I want to stab him in the heart every time he dismisses me so he’d understand what I’m feeling? Why -” Baekhyun breaks into crying. Who was he kidding; he was just reasoning with himself trying to shift blame into something. 

“Well you don’t have to worry about that anytime soon.” Yixing grunts as he stands up from the ground.

“W-what do you mean?” The human sniffs. 

“You don’t have to worry about stabbing him or living in an unending cycle soon.” 

“W-why? What’s happening -”

“Chanyeol’s dying. He doesn’t have much time left unless I find something to help him.” Panic, fear, and worry were dripping from the vampire’s voice. But there was also determination in his countenance that he would do everything to save his cousin. 

“Excuse me, I need to go look for something to save my cousin.” But before Yixing could exit the door, a loud thud and painful cry echoed from the inside. 

||

_ “Baekhyun…” _

_ “Baekhyun… please… open your eyes!” _

_ “C-Chanyeol… y-you said you l-love me, right?” _

_ “I do! I do love you B-Baekhyun -“ _

_ “Then let me go… I-I don’t want to keep living in this mess… P-please free me…” _

_ “I… I don’t know how.” _

_ “Why can’t you g-give me this? I-I thought you l-love me?! T-then let me live freely away from you C-Chanyeol..” _

_ “I’ll do anything but I can’t… give me some time, I’ll look for a way to -“ _

_ “I hate you. Maybe if you died I wouldn’t be part of this eternal mess y-you and y-your dad made.” _

_ “B-Baekhyun? Y-you don’t mean that do you?” _

_ “I hate you. I-I don’t want to see you in my next l-life. I… I…” _

_ “Baekhyun! Baekhyun! Please open your eyes! Baekhyun! I love you! Please open your eyes, I’ll do anything for you!” _

_ “Chanyeol we have to go! The enemies are almost eradicated but you’re not safe here!”  _

_ “No Yixing, don’t let me leave Baekhyun! Baekhyun, I love you! Please open your eyes! Baekhyun!” _

_ “Chanyeol, we have to go!” _

_ “No!” _

_ || _

“Chanyeol! Wake up!” 

Chanyeol woke up breathing heavily with his head throbbing painfully. He lightly rubbed his forehead to ease the pain but groaned when he moved his head sideways.

He felt like he was having a hangover. He scoffed with how terrible his situation is - he’s already dying so his body feels terrible and now he’s dealing with a massive headache. Could death be any slower?

“Chanyeol, wake up and eat.” A very familiar voice commands him. The voice is laced with tiredness that wasn’t usually evident in his cousin’s voice but it felt so real that for a second he did think Yixing was talking with him.

“Chanyeol-ah~” the voice cutely says, “please wake up now or you’ll starve this morning~”

The shock and disgust from hearing that statement made the vampire heir immediately rise from his sleep. “God Yixing what is wrong with you?! I’m already dying so can’t you give me a break from -“ Chanyeol froze.

Yixing was standing leaning against the bedpost by the bed’s end with a relieved expression on his face. Chanyeol looked at him with wide eyes and a pale shocked face.

“What?” Chanyeol speedily felt himself to check whether he was still physically present. 

“I was beginning to worry you wouldn’t wake up soon.” Yixing sighed. He pushed himself away from the frame and walked towards the table near the bed. He sat on the chair and began preparing dishes from the food tray. 

“I-I thought I wouldn’t see you again.” A quiet sob came from Yixing. He had his back slightly turned from his cousin but his relief and quivering voice cannot be hidden. 

Chanyeol stopped checking his body for signs of life when he heard his cousin cry. He looked at his shaking shoulders for a moment before smiling at himself. “Yixing…”

Upon the call of his name, Yixing immediately wiped his tears and returned to preparing food. “Sorry about that. “He sniffed. “You’re probably hungry for food so aunt and I went overboard a bit when we asked Kyungsoo to prepare you a meal but I hope you like them because everyone really took so much effort to make these things, some even had to go to the top of the mountains to get some of the herbs and vegetables that I don’t even know existed but I’m sort of glad we did -“

“Yixing”

“Because they say these herbs are good for you especially for our kind so we searched the entire mountain for an entire huge basket of these and we even dug the ground looking for some vegetables that Kyungsoo was so particular about that -“ 

“Yixing!” 

Chanyeol’s voice snapped Yixing out of his reverie and rambling mess. They both slowly met each other’s eyes and stared at one another for a while as they silently communicated their apologies, their relief, and their love for each other; they were still cousins after all.

Chanyeol was the first to break their silent staring and smiled. “You know I don’t like coriander,” he silently teased.

“W-what?” 

The vampire heir chuckled as he looked at the soup that his cousin was pouring into a dessert plate. “You know I don’t like coriander, more so as part of soup dessert.”

Yixing was bewildered but the clumsy mess he made out of the table. “I-I uh…” he met his cousin’s eyes again that had nothing but mischief in them. Yixing wanted to plead for forgiveness, but seeing how Chanyeol wasn’t carrying any of those in his countenance, he already knows that his cousin has long forgiven him. 

And so, he smiles in relief as well. “Sorry, thought you might want to try our new dish.” 

“No thank you. I’d still like to start with appetizers first, if you don’t mind. But I’ll probably entertain that idea later for dessert.”

Soon, they were both laughing from all the mess they’ve made and all the teasing they exchanged.

||

Baekhyun was pacing back and forth inside his room since the sun had started to set. Today was their last day at the vampire mansion and they were only given an hour to leave the premises; and so, his entire family has spent the entire afternoon fussing about making sure they had everything in check for when they leave. 

He couldn’t care less if he actually leaves anything behind. But it’s been a week since he gave up so much of his blood to save Chanyeol and he still hasn’t heard a word about him. He could assume that the vampire was now better and away from the threats of death just by judging the light mood that the mansion carried. 

But that’s all he could ever get. He hasn’t met Yixing or any of the advisers since then either and so his worries that he might not meet Chanyeol before they leave terrifies him. Scratch that, he just needs reassurance that Chanyeol’s alright; he doesn’t need to see him even if his heart yearns to see the vampire alive and healthy. He just needs to know he’s alive and okay.

Unfortunately, with only an hour left before they leave, Baekhyun has not heard from anyone about Chanyeol’s condition that he decided to storm the mansion one last time to at least meet anyone to answer his questions. To irritate him further, the halls seemed empty of anyone and he could hear some servants arrange matters of their release.

He hastened his walking, eyes fastly scanning the halls for anyone when he caught a very familiar looking silhouette. He halted in his steps to double check whether he saw the right person but given that there weren’t many people with him, and that he  _ knew him so well,  _ he didn’t have much time to doubt and ran towards the direction where he saw him walking down to. 

The hall where he saw the vampire walk towards only leads to the massive indoor swimming pool with fancy chandeliers and glass ceilings. Baekhyun has only been there once when he tagged along Yixing but he couldn’t be mistaken. 

With hurried steps, he reached the door of the pool; with all of strength, he slammed the doors open. 

True enough, the bright yellow lights from the chandelier, the clear water from the wide pool, and the beautiful moon that could be seen from the glass ceiling met him.

His eyes frantically searched for the familiar figure when he saw him sitting down on one of the sofas meters away from him.

“Chanyeol!” He called his name without even realizing it. He was just so relieved to see him alive that his feet quickly ran him across the room to get closer to him.

“Why are you still here Baekhyun?” The cold tone made the human stop in his tracks. “You’re supposed to leave in 45 minutes or less so why are you not busy packing or something?” 

Baekhyun was both hurt and shocked from the cold and bitter tone that the vampire was using. Most of all, he wouldn’t even spare him a glance. 

“I-I just wanted to check if you’re okay.” He quietly mumbled.

“I am so you may now leave.” 

It irked Baekhyun that he spent so much time over the past couple of weeks moping and weeping over this vampire only to be shoved away without even a glance. He was pathetic for letting such feeble emotions get the better of him.

“If you don’t have anything else to say, leave now before -“

“God! I am so pathetic for worrying about you.” He exhales loudly. “Maybe I should have shot you dead the moment I saw you laying on your blood in that tower room.” 

He looks up to glare at the vampire who finally spared him a glance but with fear and shock embedded on his handsome features. “I was worried sick for nothing. Why was I even losing sleep when you’re going to turn back into an ass again?” 

“You… were with me at the tower?” Chanyeol carefully asked.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “Yes you dumbo! I spent an entire week locked in that room with you not because I couldn’t escape but because I was worried you’d spit out your organs as well but here you are now, obviously a worse mess that before -“

“Get out!” Chanyeol suddenly screamed.

Baekhyun was taken aback. 

“Get out now Baekhyun. Go back to your family, go and leave this place!” 

Baekhyun was astonished by Chanyeol raising his voice. He felt scared not because he may lose his life but he may have terribly angered the vampire.

“Can’t you hear me?! I said -“

“I know what you said!” He shouts back. “I know what you said! But I can’t understand! I don’t understand why you’re always so evasive of me! I don’t understand why my heart breaks everytime you look at me with contempt or like right now that you want me out of your life! I don’t understand why I spent so much time crying over you, searching for you, and even worrying about you when you’re not even grateful at me for saving your life!” 

“No one asked you to save my life!” Chanyeol yells back.

“Yeah, because your limping pale body that vomited liters of blood wasn’t a good enough sign that you needed saving.” Baekhyun snorted.

“Fine, you’ve played hero now so thank you. So can you now leave since you’ve obviously had so much fun saving me as a victim.” Chanyeol gritted his teeth in annoyance. Why were they arguing when he needs to get the human out of here quickly.

“Oh I’m the one who enjoyed all that? Sure, tell that to my aching body after all the sex we’ve done because you’ve never been satiated.”

Chanyeol looks at him with wide incredulous eyes and red cheeks.

“Calm down dickhead, I’m pretty sure that wasn’t the first time you had such a hot and intense sex.” 

“W-why does this matter?!” Chanyeol retorts after regaining his composure. 

“It does!” Baekhyun was at his wits’ end trying to drill his point into the tall vampire. He was moving towards him as if he was drawing closer to a prey.

“Why?! You hate me Baekhyun! We hate each other, remember?!” 

“I  _ did  _ hate you!”

“See?!”

“But that was before I understood everything!” He stopped in his tracks once again. “Now that I know everything, I don’t have to keep hating you. Now that I know everything, I understand that I  _ don’t hate  _ you Chanyeol.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying.” 

Baekhyun groaned in frustration. “Why can’t you be honest for once?!”

“About what?!”

“About what you feel about us?! Or be honest about what you feel most of the time? When you feel tired or worried or even scared? Why can’t you just -“

“Fine! I want you to leave and get lost because I’m scared of hurting you!” 

The air turns silent. Baekhyun stares at Chanyeol who’s calm facade is now cracking. “I-I’m scared I’ll hurt you again. I’m scared you’ll soon realize how pathetic I am and just leave me.” The vampire whispered. “So leave now while you can.” He looks at the human’s eyes with his resolve to push Baekhyun away growing stronger. “Leave now while you still have a shot at returning to your old life, to live a normal life. Leave now so you won’t have to continue living a cycle forever just because of me! You have a normal life waiting for you, so go now before it’s too late.” 

“But you’ll die if I leave!”

They were running out of time before the Byun family finally left to return to their lives but Baekhyun was still not wavering in their argument. 

Chanyeol strides towards Baekhyun and in one swift movement, hoists him up from the ground and throws him into the pool.

“Wake up, will you?! I’m a vampire, a loathed creature! Humans want me dead!  _ You _ want me dead! So why are you being nice now? Why do you want to stay now? You don’t even love me! I don’t even deserve love… so snap out of whatever you’ve learned about us and leave while you can!” Chanyeol shouts at the water. 

However, he realized that Baekhyun has not surfaced since he threw him. 

“B-Baekhyun?” He called softly. “Baekhyun?!” He called again. Dread filled him.

He immediately dived into the water and swam towards the center where Baekhyun landed. 

Oh god. He already lost him so many times, please don’t let him die. Please let him live the normal life he wants. He’s so scared to lose Baekhyun again that he now might really lose him out of his selfishness.

“Baekhyun!” He yelled once he reached the center of the pool. “Baekhyun where -“

Exactly at that moment, Baekhyun surfaced from the water and pushed him down by the shoulder. “You wake up instead! Do you honestly think that I did all of that because of some past life shit that I don’t even remember? I’m doing this because I learned to understand myself!”

Chanyeol surfaces from the water coughing water. 

Baekhyun starts splashing water onto the vampire while he yells. “I did all of those because I hate you for not giving me a chance to get to know you or even become your friend then I learn that I’m your soulmate? How was I supposed to feel that you were letting yourself die because I made a thoughtless comment that I knew not of its impact on you? Did you even think about what I was going to feel if I learned that you died because of me?” He continued splashing harder.

“Baekhyun-“ Chanyeol coughed more water.

“Did you even think about the tornado of emotions I had to go through, to process at the very least while you were lying in bed just waiting for death? How about what I felt when I had to give you my blood but with no assurance that you were going to live? I didn’t ask you to love me again or be my friend but do you know how sick and worried I was?! And the first thing I hear from you is your ungrateful ass wanting me gone?!”

“Baekhyun stop.” Somehow, Chanyeol managed to swim through all that splashing and was now holding Baekhyun’s waist. 

“Do you even know how happy I was when I saw from everyone’s faces that you were alive but also how heartbroken I was when no one told me? I’m not asking you to love me again or immediately, but I just wanted to be assured that you were going to be okay.” Baekhyun was now crying, and hitting the vampire’s chest.

“But why? Why would you save me?” Chanyeol softly asked but hands still tightly wrapped around the human’s waist.

“Because!” Baekhyun looked down at the vampire who now had him hoisted up a little higher so he was directly looking down at his handsome face. “Because even if we don’t work out in this lifetime of mine, you’d still live to give us another chance the next time I live - to give yourself another chance to happiness, to stop living in a shadow of guilt that my past life said out of contempt because I was dying, and to make you understand that your life doesn’t have to revolve around those words that you are worthy of all the love you receive and that your dad or some stupid me from the past cannot change that.”

They were silent after Baekhyun’s speech with just the water hitting their damp skin and clothing giving soft sounds. Baekhyun was still staring down at the vampire as he silently observed how Chanyeol’s eyes were slowly softening. 

“I won’t let you take your words back,” Chanyeol finally spoke in a soft whisper. He tightened his hold around the human’s waist as he looked up to meet the human’s eyes.

“You won’t have to.” Baekhyun gave a soft chuckle and a small smile to reassure him.

Chanyeol smiled as they pressed their damp lips together. Their clothes are wet, and the chandeliers weren’t doing much to keep the room warm but they both couldn’t care less as they savored each moment of their kiss.

Baekhyun ran his fingers through Chanyeol’s messy wet hair, and Chanyeol had his hand on the insides of Baekhyun’s wet shirt, feeling him without the barrier of the damp shirt. 

  
  


They were moaning into their kiss, hunger for each other growing by the minute, their hearts finally finding peace and for once not feeling like it will shatter any minute now. Their hands slowly move to feel the other’s wet skin and get to know each other’s body again.

Chanyeol breathlessly breaks their kiss, “Your family has now left, Baekhyun. You really can’t go back to your human life now.” He looks up to meet the human’s smiling face.

Baekhyun places his index finger on the other’s pressed lips. “It’s just a gun, gold, and useless bitches in that life. I’m okay without it.”

Chanyeol laughs loudly and wholeheartedly that Baekhyun swears his heart shaked in happiness just from hearing it. “Sounds like a terribly written porn film.”

“Objection, that is the title of our story.” Baekhyun laughs. 

“Alright, how about our porn story film?” Chanyeol jokes. 

“Already can’t get enough of me?” Baekhyun teased as he cards his fingers through the vampire’s hair. “Then what are you waiting for? My lips aren’t going to kiss themselves you know?”

Chanyeol’s laughter vibrates through the room before he slams their lips together. 

||

**400 Years Later**

“Hey did you read about the trending horror stories on twitter?”

“Oh you mean the horror myths? I ended up staying up so late because of those!”

“Did you guys read the one about our city? About that large private forest that no one can enter?”

“I did! I did! I never expected the story twist to be about vampires! I mean it’s cliche but it’s still so cool!”

“Right? Like I heard some girls in the locker room theorize about the story and like which parts make sense.”

“No way!”

_ “Ugh. They’re so noisy today. My headset isn't loud enough to block out all their noise.”  _

“Hey, do you guys want coffee? The cafe doesn’t seem so crowded today.”

_ “Worst luck today. Guess I’d really have to stand in line listening to them ramble so loudly again.” _

“Hey girls! Getting coffee as well?” 

_ “Nice. More people. Yes, fantastic. Why don’t we just bring everyone to gather around here?” _

“Duh Joon, what else would we be here for? Wait, isn’t that Sehun?”

_ “Fuck. What great luck.” _

“Where?”

“Near the front of the line. Isn’t that him that’s scrolling on his phone?”

“Oh my god he’s really handsome and cool.”

“Blah. What’s so great about him? We other guys are obviously hotter than him.”

_ “Self-centered, that’s minus 100 points.” _

“I heard he’s nasty too.”

_ “Creating gossip, bad-mouthing others, that’s minus 150 points for that other douchebag and minus 50 points for the other guy for poor choice in friends.” _

“Whatever, let’s go talk to him.”

_ “NO!”  _

“What? What are we going to say anyway?”

“Come on, it’s not everyday we see him this close with so many opportunities!”

_ “God no. Someone please save me!”  _

“Hi! Welcome to Stars Cafe, what can I get you today?” 

_ “Yay! Thank you person in line before me and barista for saving me from that - oh right I need to order. Let’s take one earphone off.” _

“Hi. I’ll take one choco bubble milk tea, one vanilla frappucino, one of the bacon and eggs croissants, and an entire triple dark chocolate moist cake.” 

“Alright, what are the sizes for the drinks?” 

“Just the regular sizes.” Sehun casually responds as he fishes his wallet for cash. 

“For here or for to go?” The barista asks again.

“To go please.” He casually says as he opens his wallet.

_ “Fuck. I don’t have enough cash.”  _

“Do you accept credit card?” He asks.

“Yes, we do. Although it’ll probably take a while since our machine is so sloppy and we might need the manager’s approval for some errors.” The barista responds.

Sehun gives the barista a raised eyebrow look because it didn’t sound like he was sarcastic but he didn’t sound annoyed as well.

“Oh I meant that as a warning.” The barista clarifies as she readies the machine.

“Leave that one to me and go prepare the customer’s orders.” A voice comes from the back door where a man comes out of and takes over the barista in the cash register.

_ “Kim Junmeyon. Manager. Oh, he’s hot.” _

“Sorry about that but you can swipe your card now.” The manager says.

Sehun carefully swipes his card without breaking his eyes from checking out the manager.

“Alright. That went well! Here’s your receipt, and the claiming number is just below.” The man kindly smiles at him and hands him his receipt.

Sehun graciously accepts and walks to the other side of the counter to wait for his order.

“Hey, he’s now free, let’s go talk to him!”

_ “Oh god I forgot about those bimbos. Just when I thought I could peacefully check out the manager.” _

“Sehunnie~” A loud familiar voice calls for him and stops the girls from school from approaching him.

“Hi Jongdae-hyung.” He greets his eldest brother. “Thanks for saving me there.” He whispered.

Jongdae confusedly looked at him before he carefully signaled to the girls in line. Jongdae chuckled in understanding. “Still not into girls?” He quietly teases.

“Nope. Don’t need to when there’s dozens of cute guys in the world.”

His eldest brother follows his gaze and sees the cute manager still managing the cash register. “Oh.” 

“Reckon how old is he?” He asks.

“Around late 20s or early 30s I suppose.” His brother answers back. 

Just then, his claiming number was called. Both brothers walked to claim their order, while Jongdae dropped a tip in the tip box as he also took the drink Sehun ordered for him.

They walked out of the cafe with Sehun taking a last quick glance at the manager. 

_ “Maybe I should bring my credit card often.” _

“Careful there Sehunnie, I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t date a high school student.” Jongdae says as they stand in front of the cafe door and as Jongdae texts their driver to pick them up.

Sehun snorts at his brother’s statement. “Hyung I’m already 50 years old. I’m way older than him if he’s worried about dating a minor.” He says as he sips on his bubble tea.

“You think he’d believe that when you look like you’re still undergoing puberty with your lanky figure? Not to mention your young looking face that’s definitely far from their definition of 50s.” Jongdae teases as they continue to stand waiting for their ride.

“I can always stop wearing the uniform and just pretend I’m in my twenties.” 

Jongdae snorts. “As if papa will let you stop high school. Remember you’re the one who didn’t want to go to high school when you were 16 because you wanted to learn everything on your own first, so don’t think papa will let you off the hook so easily.” 

“I hate you and your 300-year-old ass.” Sehun grunts.

Soon, an expensive car stops in front of them and Sehun’s classmates were left gaping at the expensive ride he got into.

“Hi boys!”

“Hi granny!” Both Jongdae and Sehun greeted Tiffany who was behind the wheels.

“Sorry I’m late, I didn’t know Yixing couldn’t pick you guys up either and I had to sort a few things with Jongin.” She sweetly explains as they drive to the outskirts of the city towards the expensive looking buildings.

“What happened with Jongin-hyung?” Sehun asks.

“Broke your dad’s coffee machine.” Tiffany sing-songs.

“Yikes. 150 years and he still is clumsy.” Jongdae remarks.

Sehun shrugs at the idea of their dad getting mad at Jongin since their dad seems to be thriving on coffee lately. 

“He got that from our side, I’m afraid.” Tiffany laughs.

“So where is he?” Sehun asks.

“He’s already at the shooting range with your dad and papa.”

Both Jongdae and Sehun look at each other. “Shooting range?”

||

Jongin can’t help but feel a shiver tingle down his spine. The loud sounds of continuous gunshots are already terrifying but to see his papa - their small and funny papa - hit all the target right in the bull’s eye adds to the fright. 

It’s easy to forget that he was a mafia heir when he was a human when all 150 years of his, he rarely saw this side, and their uncle Yixing didn’t say much about this either. 

Their dad was an unreliable source about their papa as he’s always been whipped. 

“Chanyeol!” He suddenly hears his papa shout. Immediately on cue, their dad frantically comes running to their papa who’s on the verge of crying. 

_ “Oh no. I wish papa’s okay. Dad will already kill me if he finds out I broke the coffee machine but he’ll be even more mad if papa’s already upset.” _

He stood there watching their dad comfortingly hug their papa while kissing his forehead while their papa is casually holding a gun.

“We’re here!” Jongin hears his older brother announce. Sehun was trailing after him as he held the bag of food.

“My babies!” They heard their papa excitedly call for them.

“Seriously, I’m already 300 years old, papa should stop calling me that.” Jongdae casually but defeatedly sighs. His two younger brothers chuckle at him.

“Baekhyun don’t run!” They hear their papa trail after their papa.

They laugh at their parents running towards them. Soon their papa has all three of them wrapped in a hug. “I missed you all today!”

“I was at work.” Jongdae says.

“I was at school.” Sehun says.

“I had to clean up something.” Jongin says.

“I hope it’s not a dead body.” Their dad’s deep voice comes from behind their papa.

“D-dead body? Hahaha no! More like a dead machine hahaha.” Jongin nervously chuckles.

Their dad just gives him a raised eyebrow look.

“Anyway papa, I bought you a sandwich. Dad says you’ve been starving for a meat sandwich since this morning.” Sehun hands their papa the sandwich.

“Yay! Thank you so much!” Baekhyun kisses his son’s forehead then hands the sandwich for Chanyeol to unwrap for him as he doesn’t have patience for these things.

Chanyeol gladly obliges as they walk towards one of the restaurants they own beside the shooting range. Madam Tiffany, or as she prefers of the lately called, Granny Tiff, was already seated at the head of the table. She was talking with their head cook, Kyungsoo about something.

“Hi granny!” All three boys greet as they take their respective seats. Chanyeol carefully leads Baekhyun to a seat beside him while his husband continues to munch on a sandwich.

“Any requests you’d like to give Kyungsoo? Oh, can you take the cake from Sehunnie, Kyungsoo? It may melt.”

“I want beef.” Jongin immediately replies.

“I want shrimp.” Sehun adds.

“I’m fine with anything.” Jongdae smiles.

“What about masters?” Kyungsoo asks Baekhyun and Chanyeol.

“I’ll take whatever as well.” Chanyeol responds.

“Give him anything so long as it doesn’t leave a faint smell on him.” Baekhyun scrunches his nose as he adds. “I’d like to have an egg salad and chicken teriyaki sandwich for me please.” He cutely adds for his order.

All three sons of theirs and Madam Tiffany look at Baekhyun questioningly. 

“Baekhyun dear, are you okay? You’ve only been eating sandwiches lately. Maybe this is also why you’re not feeling well since yesterday. Eat something else.” Madam Tiffany worriedly suggests.

“B-but… but…” Baekhyun looks like he’s about to burst crying just by the suggestion and turns to his husband for support.

Chanyeol immediately wraps him in a hug. “No, it’s okay. You can eat the sandwich. Mom was just suggesting.”

“Hang on.” Sehun speaks. “Shooting range, crying outbursts..”

“One Type of meal craving, sensitive to smell...” Jongin continues.

“Always clinging to dad, dad now dependent on coffee, always misses us…” Jongdae continues.

Then the three of them gasp. “Are you pregnant papa?!” The brothers asked in unison.

“Oh well, there goes the news for this family meal.” Chanyeol chuckled as he continued rubbing soothing circles on his husband’s back.

“I’m getting a fourth grandchild?” Madam Tiffany happily asks.

“Oh great another sibling.” Jongdae defeatedly sighs remembering his war flashbacks with Jongin and Sehun.

“Not fair I’m only 50 years old!” Sehun protests.

“All objections are denied.” Chanyeol firmly says.

“Well I hope they get papa’s height this time because Jongdae-hyung is feeling lonely.” Jongin teases.

“Brat.” 

“How far are you with your pregnancy?” Madam Tiffany asks.

“About 6 weeks.” Baekhyun cutely responds.

“Yay~ another grandchild.” Tiffany claps in joy.

“I hope it’s a girl.” Chanyeol says happily.

“Me too.” Baekhyun agrees.

“When we do get a sister, can we pause the adding more children to the Byun-Park/ Park-Byun clan? Seriously up to how many siblings do we need to have?” Sehun asks.

“Until Jongdae marries.” Baekhyun replies.

Jongdae gapes, while Sehun and Jongin laugh.

“I might marry before he does!” Sehun teases.

“Or Jongdae-hyung will inherit the vampire leadership before he marries.” Jongin adds.

Jongdae stares daggers at his brothers before engaging them in child-like banter.

“Well it’s nice to see they got the childish bickering from you two.” Tiffany chuckles as she sips on her juice. “That mansion seriously needs noise given we’re also in the middle of a forest.”

Chanyeol and Baekhyun looked at their laughing children before looking at each other lovingly. 

“I love you my, Park-Byun.” Baekhyun says.

“I love you too my dearest Byun-Park.” Chanyeol responds.

Four hundred years down, more lifetimes and an eternity to go. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my husband as well who one day surprised me by saying he signed me up for this fic by submitting a self-prompt he made. Thank you husband for bearing with me while I wrote this fic hehehehe.


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